Education Briefs

The Academic & Student Affairs Committee of the Fort Lewis College Board of Trustees will meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday followed by the Business Affairs Committee at 2:30 p.m. in the President’s Conference Room – Room 2503 – in Berndt Hall.

Fort Lewis College will host its annual Latino College Day in conjunction with Skyhawk Saturday, a preview weekend for the college, from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 16 on campus.

The goal is to show ninth- through 12th-grade Latino students from the Four Corners the possibilities that going to college can create.

Students also will receive personalized assistance in understanding financial aid. Participants will be part of Skyhawk Saturday in the morning and will participate in scheduled workshops and campus tours until 12:30 p.m., when Latino College Day begins with a lunch at El Centro de Muchos Colores, the College’s Hispano resource center.

Workshops aimed at Latino students include financial aid and scholarship assistance and cultural identity. There also will be an opportunity to fill out applications and have the application fee waived.

For more information, call El Centro de Muchos Colores at 247-7290.

Continuing education classes available at FLC

The Continuing Education Program at Fort Lewis College will offer these classes:

“True Success: Introducing a New Vision” taught by Mark Fallon-Cyr will cover what a truly successful life looks like, an introduction to the seven areas of human functioning that determine why people succeed in one area but fail in another, and the ability to create personal and social competence. The cost is $149 for six classes, which will be held from Feb. 5 to March 19.

“Beginning Facebook” with Lindsay Nyquist, FLC social media coordinator, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 12. This course is for people who are not currently on Facebook or for people who have set up a profile but don’t know how to use it effectively. The class will address how to sign up, connect with friends/family, privacy settings and how to protect oneself in the digital world. The cost is $39 for one class.

Enrollment for the 2013-14 school year is open. Students interested in enrolling at AHS can find an online intent-to-enroll form at www.animashighschool.com/intent.php. There are opportunities for potential students and families to learn more about the school including information nights, weekly tours and student shadow experience. An information session will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday on campus.

The ninth-grade physics students will host an exhibition of their Rube Goldberg Projects from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort will host a Locals Day benefiting AHS on Feb. 10. The cost for tickets is $40 for adults, $32 for students and seniors and $25 for children. Participants must present a Locals Day coupon to get the discount. Coupons will be available in early February on the AHS website and in the AHS Quill and Durango Telegraph.

There will not be school Feb. 18 in observance of the Presidents Day holiday. Also there will not be school Feb. 19 for a faculty professional development day.

Durango to discuss 21st Century Classroom

Durango School District will host a 21st Century Classroom discussion from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Riverview Elementary School.

Superintendent Dan Snowberger and members of the Durango School District School Board will lead the discussion.

Grants available to child care providers

The Early Childhood Council of La Plata County, in collaboration with the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation, is accepting applications from licensed nonprofit child care programs and licensed home care providers in the county so they can receive a quality assessment and mini-grant to improve their programs.

Programs will be awarded mini-grants of $300 to $400 per classroom to address recommendations of the quality assessments. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Feb. 18.

Snowdown Geek Theatre will be held from 2:30 and 4 p.m. Friday. The event will feature science demonstrations, family-friendly theater performances and more. To purchase tickets, visit www.durangodiscovery.org or call 259-9234.

Smart Art will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays. This program gives children the opportunity to learn basic science concepts through art making. Every workshop will include art materials, demonstrations, science activities and more.

“Pay What You Wish Day” will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Durango High School to host expo Feb. 11

Durango High School will host an expo from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 11.

This is an event for eighth-grade students in Durango and their families. Participants will explore elective options and decide which Small Learning Community is best.

Attendees also will receive an informational brochure and have a chance to speak to teachers. Selection forms are due Feb. 15.

Bullying seminar to be offered Feb. 9

Durango School District, Mountain Middle School and Animas High School will present a seminar about bullying at 8 a.m. Feb. 9 at Fort Lewis College’s Community Concert Hall.

Mark Hyatt, president and CEO of Character Education Partnership; Daniel Snowberger, superintendent of Durango School District; Michael Ackerman, head of school of Animas High School; and Jackie Oros, head of Mountain Middle School, will talk about how bullying is addressed in the community.

Durango students eat local produce

Durango School District students are eating local, Colorado-grown produce throughout the winter.

The district’s food services extends the farm-to-school season by serving salad greens from Four Seasons Nursery in Dolores, potatoes from Farm I and apples from Mattics Orchard in Olathe.

Riverview students to perform songs

Riverview Elementary School’s first-grade students will perform a collection of songs about weather from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 12 in the school media center.

Riverview families and friends are invited.

For more information, call Shannon Fontenot at 247-3862.

Parenting class to be offered

A six-week Love and Logic parenting class will be offered at Animas Valley Elementary School from 6 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday from Feb. 27 to April 3 in the counselor’s room.

The fee for the class is $35 for single parents or $40 per couple, which includes a parent handbook, child care and snacks. Scholarships are available as needed.

Child care provider Cody Reinheimer will offer play-time with the kids. Children will explore a series of activities called “Compassionate Communication for Kids,” based on the work of Marshall Rosenberg in the area of nonviolent communication.

For more information, call Barbara Frontella at 247-0124, ext. 3423. Registration is required by Feb. 8 in the school’s office.

DHS music program announces events

The Durango High School Instrumental Music Program will host these events:

A “Dinner Show” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday in the cafeteria. The event will feature the DHS jazz band and orchestra with guests Arkady Fomin and Jeff Solon. The tickets cost $25, which goes directly toward the students. To purchase tickets, email Katharine Reed at kreed@durango.k12.co.us or call 259-1630, ext. 2102.

“A Night at the Movies” will be held at 7 p.m. March 6 in the DHS auditorium. The event will feature cinema music performed by the DHS concert band, symphonic orchestra and jazz band.

DHS theater to present play in February

Durango High School Theater will present “Catholic School Girls” at 7 p.m. Feb. 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16.

DHS to compete in mock trial contrast

The Durango High School Mock Trial team will compete at the Colorado High School Mock Trial Regionals in Grand Junction on Feb. 22 and 23.

Park Elementary School’s annual Readathon will be held through Tuesday.

The theme this year is IditaREAD, based on the Iditarod Race. Students will read from Anchorage to Nome.

Needham to hold annual Readathon

Needham Elementary School’s annual Readathon fundraiser will be held from Friday to Feb. 11.

Each student will receive three books and a new bookmark. Students then collect pledges based on the number of minutes read.

This provides significant funds for the Parent Teacher Organization and generates reading excitement for the students.

Residents invited to participate in survey

Durango residents are invited to take a survey about school-based health centers in Durango.

The survey has a short video explanation about how school-based health centers operate and what they provide. To take the survey, click on the Bighorn app on the Durango School District Facebook page.

HEALTH Day event to be held March 4

The Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center, in conjunction with the Southwest Colorado Community College and Colorado Health Occupations Students of America, will host a HEALTH (Hands-on Experience And Leadership for Tomorrow’s Health-care Professionals) Day from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 4 at La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Students, teachers and counselors can expect sessions given by health-care professionals, hands-on activities and guidance about taking the next step.

The day also will also include free lunch. Registration is due by Feb. 18.